TOM Jones’ wife, Linda, stood by his philandering for 59 years of marriage before she died this week. Now it seems more wives are letting their husbands cheat.

In fact, one of Jones’s mistresses, Charlotte Laws, who the singer allegedly bedded in 1979 when she was a teen virgin tweeted her condolences this week saying Linda “knew she was the love of your life”.

.@RealSirTomJones Condolences on the passing of lovely Linda. I'm heartbroken for you & your family. She knew she was the love of your life.

Online relationship coach Suzie Johnson told The New York Post that a study in 2013 found that more than 50 per cent of marriages survive infidelity.

“Fifteen years ago, having an affair would be a deal-breaker, but people now realise that it’s not the end of the world. It’s tough in the initial stages, but many see it as an opportunity to make a fresh deal,” she said. “The more invested you are in your marriage — whether because of love, lifestyle, finances, children or a combination of those things — the more likely you are to make compromises [such as allowing the husband to cheat] to anchor the commitment.”

Well-known public figures in similar situations include, most famously, presidential candidate Hillary Clinton, as well as Masha Lopatova, spouse of former NBA player Andrei Kirilenko. The mother of four admitted in 2006 that she sets the 6-foot-9 Russian-born athlete “free” once a year so he can sow his wild oats.

Jada Pinkett Smith hinted that she and husband, Will, have an open door in their marriage.

“Will can do whatever she wants,” she said when asked about their marriage.

Psychotherapist Joe Kort asserts the “eyes wide open” approach usually has to involve a written contract full of rules.

“For example, the woman might agree that the man can attend BDSM play parties once a month or have oral sex — not penetrative sex — once a week, so long as he has blood tests every three months,” says Dr Kort, of Detroit.

Standing by her man ... Then First Lady Hillary Rodham Clinton watches President Bill Clinton pause as he thanks those Democratic members of the House of Representatives who voted against impeachment in 1998. Picture: APSource:AP

Pittsburgh-based former HR executive Sophie, 61, who asked that her last name be withheld to protect her privacy, says her husband admitted to a same-sex fling during a business trip in 2006.

“He said it was a mistake, and he was confused by his sexuality,” Sophie tells The Post.

Then, two years ago, he dropped the bombshell that he now considered himself gay and was actively seeking other partners.

“When it first happened, I thought I was going to lose my mind,” admits Sophie. “But, with help from Joe [Kort], we’ve figured out our arrangement.”

The couple, who have no kids, recently bought an apartment in New York City to serve as the husband’s love nest. Other times, Sophie visits the condo when she wants to catch a Broadway show.

So what made her decide to stand by her man? “We’re still very much in love and we have a rich history together,” says Sophie, who has been married for 33 years. “My parents are elderly, and I don’t see any point in telling them and hurting them by getting divorced.”

Other factors include the duo’s comfortable lifestyle in the Pennsylvania countryside and their devotion to their two dogs. But it’s been a difficult road, especially after Sophie confided in her sister and a rigidly Christian friend.

“They are very judgmental and think there is only room for two people in a marriage,” she says. “But, as Joe counsels me, you get to write your own story, and nobody can tell us how to live our lives.”